Methods of preparing silicone materials from disilanes are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 736,971 to Chassot discloses a process for the production of an organosilicon resin containing both —Si—Si— and —Si—O—Si— linkages in its molecule, which comprises subjecting to hydrolysis and simultaneous condensation an organopolysilane of the general formula (CH3)mSinXp, where X represents a hydrolysable radical, n is a whole number greater than 1, and m, p, and n are related by the equation m+p=2n+2.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,666 to Porte discloses an organosilicon resin containing recurring disilane units, which comprises the reaction product of a simultaneous cohydrolysis and condensation reaction in a heterogeneous solvent medium of an admixture of organochlorsilanes and organochlorodisilanes.
Derwent World Patent Index Abstract of German Patent Publication No. DE 4,033,157 A to Albrecht et al. discloses production of soluble methylalkyloxypoly (disilyl)siloxanes, which comprises the single step alkoxylation and hydrolysis of disilane-containing distillation residue (A) from methylchlorosilane synthesis, or of the isolated disilanes, (A′). (A) or (A′), is reacted at reflux with a hydrolysis medium consisting of concentrated HCl (which provides an amount of water equimolar to the Si—Cl content in the starting material) and lower alkanol in presence of an inert organic solvent not miscible with the medium. The weight ratio of (A) or (A′), to alcohol is 1:0.5 to 1:4, and that of (A) or (A′) to solvent is 1:9 to 1:0.2.
Although the aforementioned references disclose methods of preparing silicone materials from disilanes, there remains a need for a method of producing a silicone resin that is curable, substantially free of gel, and highly soluble in organic solvents.